STORM WELCOMES GRAND VALLEY TO START 2010: After wrapping
up 2009 with a six-point win over the University of Missouri-St.
Louis on Tuesday (Dec. 29) to finish in third place in the Holiday
Inn South/Ledger Classic in Lakeland, Fla., the Lake Erie men's
basketball team opens the new year with perennial GLIAC North power
Grand Valley State University visiting Painesville. It is the
second meeting between the schools after the Storm fell, 65-63, in
last season's matchup in Allendale, Mich. on Nov. 18, 2008. The
Storm is 3-2 this season at the Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic
& Wellness Center and 48-12 all-time since the opening of the
Osborne Center in 2004.

23rd SEASON OF STORM HOOPS: This is the 23rd
season in Lake Erie men's basketball history, in which the Storm
has posted an overall record of 186-372 (.333). However, since
opening the 2002-03 season, Lake Erie is 113-92 (.551).

RANK AND FILE: If Indiana (Pa.) holds its No. 4
position in the National Association of Basketball Coaches
rankings, the Storm will have played three teams that were ranked
in the top four in the country when the teams matched up. The Storm
met defending national champion Findlay on Nov. 24. The Oilers were
ranked No. 4 at the time. Florida Southern is currently the
second-ranked team in the country and, last week, the Storm fell on
the Moccasins' home floor by just two points. On Feb. 8, Lake Erie
has a date with current No. 4 Indiana (Pa.), which is the sixth
nationally-ranked team on the Storm's slate in 2009-10.

CLOSE...OH SO CLOSE: In Monday's (Dec. 28)
88-86 loss at No. 2 Florida Southern, the Storm built an 11-point
lead in the first half before the Moccasins closed the half with a
19-5 run to lead by three at the break. After Florida Southern
worked its lead to a dozen in the second half, the Storm climbed
back in the game, eventually taking an 86-83 lead with 1:14 to
play. The Moccasins, though, hit five free throws in the last
minute, including two by John Thompson with 5.7 seconds left, to
keep its record unblemished at 10-0.

STORM CLOUDS

LAST TIME OUT FOR THE STORM: Lake Erie earned a
third-place showing in the Florida Southern Holiday Inn
South/Ledger Classic with a 64-58 win over the University of
Missouri-St. Louis on Tuesday in Lakeland, Fla. The Storm used a
tight defensive effort to neutralize its own 32-percent shooting
performance in the win. The Tritons led for much of the first half,
eventually taking a nine-point lead with 1:08 left, but the Storm
scored the last four points of the half to trail by just five at
the break. UMSL built up an 11-point advantage with 14:20 to play,
but Lake Erie went on a 19-4 run over the next 7:30 to take a 48-43
lead. The Tritons crept to within one point twice after that, but
Lake Erie hit seven of 10 free throws in the last minute to ice the
game and snap a five game losing skid. Junior guard Antonio Kidd
(Cleveland, Ohio/Lakewood) had 12 of his 15 points and threes in
the second half for the Storm, which also got 15 points from
freshman forward Eric Worthey (South Euclid, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley
Christian Academy). Forward Darnell Campbell (Cleveland,
Ohio/Collinwood) added nine points and a season-high 10 rebounds.

KIDD'S CLASSIC: Prior to the win over
Missouri-St. Louis, the Storm played one of its toughest games of
the season against No. 2 Florida Southern. Point guard Antonio Kidd
had an outstanding game against the Moccasins, scoring a game and
career-high 21 points -- tied with two others, including Storm
2-guard Ethan Bradshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Harmony Prep) -- with four
three-pointers, three rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes off
the bench. It was just the second time Lake Erie head coach Cliff
Hunt did not have the 5-11 Kidd in the starting lineup, choosing to
go with 6-3 freshman Alex Davis (Macedonia, Ohio/Nordonia).
Combined with that 21-point effort, Kidd also scored 15 with four
threes and three assists in Tuesday's win over UMSL. His
performance earned him a citation on the All-Classic team, leading
the Storm to its 1-1 finish in Lakeland, Fla.

OFFENSIVE OUTPUT: Monday's 88-86 loss to the
Moccasins featured the Storm's most impressive offensive outing of
the season. It was the first time since the season-opener against
Ohio Valley (a triple-overtime 86-84 win) on Nov. 15 that the Storm
scored more than 73 points. Lake Erie had four players in double
figures including three with 20 or more points. Antonio Kidd, Ethan
Bradshaw had 21 points apiece while Darnell Campbell scored 20
points for the second consecutive game. Alex Davis chipped in 10
points. The Storm shot 52.3 percent (34-65) from the field and
buried a season-high 10 three-pointers on 21 attempts.

DISHING THE ROCK: The Storm also showed a
brilliant proficiency distributing the ball in the 86-point effort,
handing out a season-high 21 dimes, led by Ethan Bradshaw's
career-high eight assists. Darnell Campbell set a season-high with
six helpers, falling just one assist short of a career-high.

3-D IS KEY: In the five Storm wins, Lake Erie
has limited its opponents to just 20.0 percent (17-85) shooting
from beyond the arc. But in 11 Storm losses, opponents shoot 47.5
percent (94-198) from long range. Lake Erie is 0-8 when the
opponent shoots at least 40 percent from outside and 5-3 when the
opponent is under 40 percent.

WINNING THE FIRST HALF: Thus far this season,
the Storm can place a high importance on getting off to a strong
start. The Storm is 4-0 when leading at halftime and 1-11 when
trailing at the break. Also, Lake Erie is 0-8 when the opponent
gets on the board first.

FROSH DEVELOPMENT: One key to the Lake Erie
basketball program as it continues its transition to Division II is
the development of its four-year players. Head coach Cliff Hunt may
have found a gem in freshman center Garrick Sims (Barberton,
Ohio/Barberton). The 6-8 Sims is averaging 7.1 points and 5.2
rebounds. He is also fourth on the team with 21 assists. His 57.3
field-goal percentage is second on the team.